Born in Banbridge Co.Down, Melissa came from a family steeped in music and dance. It was Melissa's mother who taught her her first steps in Irish Dancing .They spent weekends away at Feises or athletic meetings(as Melissa was also a champion Ulster sprinter)  It came a time that a choice had to be made. Irish dancing won out!

Having won many titles including Ulster, British National and gold medallist in the World Championships, Melissa went on to get the opportunity to dance in Riverdance where she performed in many cities around the world in up to 7000 seater venues.

In the early days of Riverdance the show would spend four to five weeks in cities such as Zurich, Switzerland and Vienna, Austria. This offered a great opportunity to explore these cities and experience the cultures, visit museums and galleries. Travelling was not so hectic. In 1998, the show spent 16 weeks in Auckland, New Zealand.
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